Earthquakes can cause damage, fires and broken gas or sewage lines. Be ready to evacuate your home on a moment’s notice. Be sure everyone in your family knows the best escape routes from your home, as well as safe places to go in your home based on the type of emergency.

If you need to escape, discuss and clearly designate individual responsibilities. For example, if your home has bedrooms on multiple levels, you might want to have a responsible teenager gather smaller children from certain rooms. Or you might decide that one parent will get the baby while another grabs the 72-Hour Emergency Kit. Think about your individual situation beforehand, including elderly residents and pets, and plan who will do what. You may only have seconds to evacuate.